Manokan Country: Bacolod’s Finest

A few weeks ago, we were planning to attend this year’s MassKara Festival in Bacolod … unfortunately, ALL hotels were FULLY-BOOKED for the MassKara week-end. So we ended up doing a day trip to Bacolod instead during the last day of the festival. Initially, we were wary that Super Typhoon Juan will bring torrential rain to the street festivities like it did last October 16 (Saturday) … but we went just the same, hoping for the best weather possible.

Our trip began from Roxas City at 8:00AM. We reached the Iloilo pier at 10:28 am … just TWO minutes before the 10:30 AM ferry scheduled trip to Bacolod City! And the only seats available in the Negros Navigation’s Supercat were the in the Business Class Section … at P345 per person, it was more than 2x the regular ferry price!

Our group of five (all photo enthusiasts of the Capiz Camera Club) occupied the Business Class section together with the TV crew of the local travel show “Trip na Trip“. They were also on their way to Bacolod to cover the MassKara Festival.

The TV crew occupying our assigned seats!

The hosts (seated) of the local TV Show "Trip na Trip"

We arrived at the Bacolod Pier almost lunch time … and so the first order of the day was to EAT! We took a tricyle going to Manokan Country, a strip of eateries along Rizal Street serving Bacolod’s finest chicken inasal (special charcoal grilled chicken) located in the Reclamation Area where SM Bacolod now stands.

Manonak Country was in a festive mood.

With the row of chicken insal stands, which one do you choose? Apparently, food bloggers recommend Aida’s Manokan House – and we can see why. It was the most patronized stall in the whole strip! In fact, there were a few stall with no patrons at all, considering it was MassKara week-end.

Aida's Inasal Stall is located in the mid-section of the manokan country strip, facing SM Bacolod

We were lucky there were vacant tables for our group of five hungry photographers!

We ordered either “paa” (drumstick portion) or “pecho” (breast part) and several sticks of “atay” (liver) and “buli” (the end part of the chicken), all paired with a generous serving of fried rice and a litro bottle of soda to share. The chicken, although charcoal grilled, was not dry at all and it was really flavorful – marinated in the secret ingredients that include “achuete” to give that “orangey” color trypical of chicken inasal.

Delicious to the bones!

Our order: a plate-full of chicken inasal

As part of the dining experience, you concoct your own “sawsawan” (dipping sauce) using the “pinakurat” (native vinegar mixed with spices), soy sauce and “calamansi” (Philippine lime or lemon) – and then you use your bare hands to eat! YUMMY indeed!

Mix your own dipping sauce

With our energy levels high, we were ready to go and experience MassKara Festival 2010!